Korea must turn global appeal into investment: AMCHAM chief

By No Kyung-min, The Korea Herald - American Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman and CEO James Kim urged Seoul to close the gap between global investor interest and actual capital inflows, saying at The Korea Herald's 2026 HIT Forum on Tuesday that Korea has never had a stronger hand to play as a global financial hub.

Kim pointed to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix as evidence of Korea's technology rise, calling them fitting examples for the forum's theme, "Korea Premium: Connecting Korean Opportunities with Global Capital."

"They're clearly true Korean success stories," Kim said, noting that the two are among just four companies outside the United States, alongside Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Saudi Aramco, to reach a $1 trillion market valuation.

Kim said the global reach of K-pop and Korean cuisine, combined with those tech success stories, has helped enhance Korea's public image.

Despite that growing profile, however, Korea's global reputation has not carried over into its standing as a regional business base.

According to AMCHAM's 2026 Business Environment survey, Korea ranked third among preferred regional headquarters locations in Asia, trailing Singapore's roughly 5,000 regional headquarters and Hong Kong's 1,400. Korea, by comparison, hosts fewer than 100, despite its infrastructure, talent and technology.

"These numbers show a clear gap between global interest in Korea and the investment that Korea ultimately attracts," Kim said. "Closing that gap is essential."

Korea has built the momentum, Kim said, and now must deliver on that promise through regulations aligned with global standards, markets accessible to international investors, and modernized rules supporting technology-driven, globally integrated financial operations.

AMCHAM 's report, "Korea's Financial Hub Agenda," lays out 39 recommendations, including 10 top priorities, as a road map for reform, and the chamber is advancing the proposals in talks with the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Financial Services Commission.

"The next step is to build a regulatory investment environment that fully reflects the strengths," he said. " AMCHAM will continue to work closely with the Korean government to turn these priorities into meaningful progress."

Source: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10867846?ref=naver